Walter Mosley Says its Time to Divorce the Democrats

[NJCher]

He will be interviewed by WNYC host Brian Lehrer today:

Time to Divorce the Democrats?
Thursday, February 16, 2006

Bill Clinton once called Walter Mosley, the author of dozens of mysteries, science fiction, and young adult novels, one of his favorite writers. Now Mosley has written a polemic arguing that black Americans should abandon the Democrats and form their own political party.

I will be listening and posting back. Hope others will join me on this thread. Here's the URL to listen (just click FM Windows 20k) at the link on the left menu bar).

www.wnyc.org






Cher

[Burma Jones]

1. Please do

Cordially,

Karl Rove.......

[180209]

2. Yeah, that's good, and help the R's.

"When will they ever learn?" That's good, more splitting talk, more infighting, less unity... and wonder why Dems stick THEMSELVES with the right wing. Because too many won't stand together! Get over this infighting crap, work to UNITE, and realize that we MUST have a big tent if we are going to win. Get real!

[formernaderite]

6. You're wrong...it would have NO effect

by starting a new party, they could continue to "endorse" which ever candidate best represented their issues. It would in fact, empower the black democrats with a true voice, rather than the four year church shuffle that frequently masquerades as support by democratic candidates.I'd assume for the most part that they would vote for democrats, however the candidates would then be forced to work for their vote. In local races they could run their own candidates if no democrat was interested in reprsenting their issues. In the enc, this would only make the democratic party stronger and more populist.

[Donna Zen]

8. Support is a two-way street

How can one support people who don't support you? Oh, that's right: after they vote to take us to a phony war, send our jobs over seas, and basically dump the Constitution, they drag out the Rovian bogeyman on election day to herd all of the sheep. No more!

[Totally Committed]

9. Donna is correct...

When I worked for the Civil Rights movement back in the late 60's, I remember the promises made to Blacks on behalf of this Party. For years I tried to tell myself that the only reason none had been kept was because of the Republicans. Then, Katrina happened, and the epiphany I should have had earlier came... The Democratic Party had not kept any of its promises to the Blacks, mionorities, women, and the poor. NONE. The only reason ANY of these entities still votes with us is because (as we have cynically lazy enough to believe) where else are they going to go?... who else would they vote for? We need to start keeping promises made long ago or we are at risk of losing the votes of Blacks, minorities, women, and the poor. AND WE WILL DESERVE TO LOSE THESE VOTES.

TC

[Donna Zen]

16. Just studying how the republican base got a hearing

They stayed home for bush 41, and no one ever ignored them again. What we are doing isn't working. I'm ready to change the course. Hell, they'll probably just offer up war-loving DLCer anyway.

[Totally Committed]

18. I've been trying to say this for how many months now?

You know that's true...

But, every time I say we need to just stay home en masse, I get the *gasp* treatment, and get called names and told I'm stupid, etc. I will not even walk across the street to vote for another DLC JOKE for President. No way. It is the only way I KNOW my voice on this subject will be heard.

TC

[Warpy]

3. Democrats can no longer afford to ignore the party base

of working people, people of color, and women. Conservative "business as usual" Democrats will continue to lose elections and the party will be shut farther out of power. Although hatred of present GOP policies may contribute to a short term gain, "He's worse!" is not anything that will hold the attention or the support of party voters for long, not when the party that is supposed to stand for the people in opposition to the rich and powrful has been doing the reverse for too many decades.

Catch a clue from Schweitzer's victory. This is how you get your base back in "red" states, not by pushing yuppie programs that are popular in east coast cities. This is how you win elections.

[billbuckhead]

4. Most Blue state Republicans could could get more black votes than Sweitzer

As a Red state urban "yuppie"(whatever that is), I don't think I'm being catered to at all and I'm sure my black neighbors don't think they're being catered to either. The real answer is to fix the voting machines and empower minority voters. We could win many of these "red" states if we could get Hispanic votes counted which aren't counted any better than black or native American votes.

[fasttense]

5. Unless they open up their "Black" party to other races they don't have

a chance in hell of winning anything. The American black population is just not large enough to win a large enough vote (if they voted as a block) for President or to take over the House or Senate. I guess they could win a few seats. But they would need other races to win any real power.

A better party would be an all woman party. There are enough women in the US to vote in a majority if they would vote as a block.

[NJCher]

7. I've been a unity first person for the past five years

But it's becoming painfully obvious the Democratic party is a long way from paying any attention to the needs of its constitutents.

I was quite shocked yesterday when I was at my university library and one of the librarians and I got into a discussion about politics. This woman exploded--yes, exploded--over how poor the Democrats are as an opposition party.

In addition, she is fed up with Democratic corruption in the state of NJ. She voted for the repuke candidate for governor in the last election, not Corzine. She told me a story that makes me wonder if Corzine is serious about cleaning up the areas the Dems need to clean up in this state.

I was horrified (I wouldn't go so far as to vote for a repuke governor) but this woman is true blue. She has held high-level positions in the Democratic party in the past.

Personally, blowing off Hackett was about the final straw for me.

I'm willing to listen to what Mosley has to say and there's nothing to say Caucasians or Hispanics can't join their party. If enough black Americans joined this party, there would be 10% of the population in it. That's enough to get others to join, as opposed to the Greens, who have been unable to reach that mass. All we need is for enough people to form a framework where others can join.

Finally, let's consider who are the real heroes in this tragedy of bush stealing the election. WHO stood up in opposition in that horrible day after the 2000 election? THE BLACK CAUCUS. They are the true heroes. I cried my eyes out that day, that they stood alone.

No minority group in the history of democracy has used the vote has effectively as African Americans. African Americans are highly effective politically. Let's hear what Mosley has to say.




Cher

[blm]

15. GOP was an effective opposition party because they bought control of most

broadcast media. Dems can't BUY a break from a hostile media that misrepresents them and their constituents AT EVERY TURN and ON EVERY ISSUE.

[NJCher]

10. Walter's on now, at 10:43 a.m.

Cher

[NJCher]

11. Walter's Platform

Six planks of his platform:

a) commitment to revamping legal and penal system to make sure people of color are getting fair treatment

b) expectation there be equal distribution of public wealth

c) true accounting of the impact of slavery

d) universal health care system

e) retirement system

f) commitment to assemble a general history of our country in both its glory and its shame

There are two blank platforms for people to fill in what they want.




Cher

[NJCher]

12. Notes from intro to interview

Life Out of Context. This is a book he has written which includes a proposal for a non-violent takeover of the House of Representatives


BL: Brian Lehrer
WM: Walter Mosley

WM says AA history in America makes them understand America's true place in the world. He said thousands of phone calls were made to African Americans and caucasians and out of those calls, NO AAs were surprised at the WTC attack. Plenty of caucasians were. That says to WM that AAs understand America's true position in the world.

America is an oligarchy, not a democracy.

WM calling for a black voting block. Eight or nine things important: universal health care, living wage, being able to retire, etc. Once that's done and we can get enough seats in the House, we can do that. Then others can do this: GLs, etc.

All we need is 6-7 that neither party can enforce its agenda without us.

Calls the Dem and Repub party "interest corporations."




Cher

[NJCher]

13. Notes from callers, WM appearing in NY tomorrow night

Taking calls now:

Caller says he is from eastern Europe (Albania). Says WM is on the money. Says he works seven days and despite all this work, his retirement is not secure.

BL asks him what other platform he would fill in. Caller is saying power of corporations should be reduced.

BL now asking WM about his mystery novels. WM tells about one coming out next Valentine's Day.

Mary in Westbrook: Talking about Hackett being removed. Jessie Jackson wanted nomination. How do we get around the "entrenched power."

WM: I love Barack but he's a Democrat. There is no way you can be a part of these "interest corporations" and do anything for the American people.

Speaking at Cooper Union with Harry Belefonte tomorrow night (Friday, the 17th). I'M GOING!




Cher

[NJCher]

14. NYC appearance info

------- Walter Mosley, author of Life Out of Context. With music and film star Harry Belafonte. 7:00 PM. Sponsored by The New School. Venue changed to The Great Hall, Cooper Union, 7 East Seventh St. at 3rd Ave. No reservations or tickets necessary. First come, first served.




Cher

[ProSense]

17. A thread on Mosley

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=2457532&mesg_id=2464015